What Is Glamsterdam? Ethereum’s Next Major Upgrade Explained

The Glamsterdam upgrade is planned for the second half of 2026. In an X post, $SSV Network said developers are working toward Q4, although Ethereum has not confirmed a mainnet date. The planned changes could reshape block production, prepare parallel processing and update network costs.

Ethereum’s official roadmap uses the broader H2 2026 window. Final specifications, client readiness, security reviews and public-testnet results would determine when the upgrade reaches mainnet.

What Is Glamsterdam and Why Does Testing Matter?

The name Glamsterdam combines Gloas, the consensus-layer upgrade named after a star, with Amsterdam, the execution-layer upgrade named after a former Devconnect host city. Gloas updates validator coordination and consensus, while Amsterdam changes transaction and smart contract execution. Together, they form one Ethereum network upgrade.

In May, the Ethereum Foundation said a multi-client devnet had tested the external-builder pipeline across nearly all clients. Developers also aligned on a credible post-Glamsterdam gas-limit target of 200 million.

The 200 million gas-limit floor is a post-Glamsterdam target, not a current mainnet result. Before announcing a mainnet fork date, developers plan to stabilize a complete devnet, release compatible clients, finish security reviews and confirm that public testnets are stable.

How Will ePBS Change Ethereum Block Production?

Most Ethereum proposers rely on external builders to assemble execution payloads. Trusted relays help manage the handoff between builders and validators. EIP-7732 would move the basic process into Ethereum’s consensus rules.

Under ePBS, a builder would commit to an execution payload and payment. The consensus proposer would then choose the bid. A Payload Timeliness Committee would check whether the builder revealed the payload on time and whether the related blob data was available.

The design would separate consensus checks from execution checks. Ethereum’s roadmap says this could expand the main>Validators would receive new duties involving builder commitments, payload checks and timing. Staking pools may need system changes for trustless monitoring and builder selection. Operators would also need compatible consensus and execution clients.

What Will Block-Level Access Lists Change?

Scheduled EIP-7928 would introduce Block-Level Access Lists, known as BALs. Each list would record the accounts and storage locations used in a block. It would also include values left after transactions finish.

Ethereum currently discovers many transaction dependencies during execution. This limits safe parallel work. BALs would help clients find independent transactions and run database reads, transaction validation and state-root calculations in parallel.

The lists could also support executionless state updates. A syncing node could read recorded results instead of replaying every transaction. EIP-8159 would provide the network method for clients to exchange BALs.

BALs do not guarantee a fixed transaction speed. An Ethereum Foundation testing report shows that capacity depends on client performance and block contents. The gas limit adopted after activation would also affect results.

Will Glamsterdam Control Ethereum State Growth?

Higher capacity could make Ethereum’s permanent database grow faster. This database is called state. Uncontrolled growth could raise storage costs and make home nodes harder to operate, according to the Glamsterdam roadmap.

However, scheduled EIP-8037 proposes a fixed cost for each new byte of state. Its model targets average growth of 120 GiB a year at a reference block gas limit of 150 million. A separate reservoir would manage state-creation charges.

The proposal could raise costs for actions that create accounts, storage slots or contract code. It could also allow larger contract deployments. Independent state metering would stop state creation from competing with normal computation under one transaction gas limit.

EIP-8038 proposes higher charges for reading and changing Ethereum’s existing state. It aims to match fees with the heavier work placed on nodes. The Glamsterdam Meta EIP lists it as considered, not scheduled.

Applications that frequently read or update the database could face different costs if EIP-8038 is included. Development teams should test real workloads after the final specifications and supported clients become available.

Developer and Client Changes Before Glamsterdam

Existing contracts are expected to keep working after Glamsterdam. Developers may gain new tools and should review their gas usage before the upgrade. Scheduled EIP-7954 would raise the maximum contract size. EIP-7708 would create standard logs for non-zero $ETH transfers and burns.

However, two proposals remain under consideration. EIP-2780 could reduce the intrinsic gas cost of simple $ETH transfers. EIP-7997 could allow developers to deploy contracts at the same address across participating EVM networks.

Existing contracts are expected to continue working after the fork. However, costs and supporting systems may behave differently. Application teams should review gas use and test contracts, indexers, tracing tools and fee estimators before activation, based on the changes outlined in Ethereum’s roadmap.

Node operators and validators must update both execution and consensus clients. An outdated client may fail to follow the upgraded chain. Official guidance identifies supported client releases and testnet results as important readiness signals.

$ETH Holder Guidance and Investor Outlook

$ETH holders would not need to swap, convert or upgrade their coins. Their balances would remain accessible after the fork. Ethereum’s roadmap warns that anyone asking users to exchange $ETH for a replacement token is attempting a scam.

Investors should monitor the final EIP list, stable multi-client devnets and completed security reviews. Public-testnet launches and a confirmed mainnet fork date would provide clearer evidence of progress. These development stages carry more weight than an unofficial launch quarter.

The upgrade aims to expand capacity while keeping node hardware manageable. It also seeks to improve block coordination and prepare transactions for parallel processing. These goals form part of Ethereum’s long-term scaling plan, according to the official roadmap.

Those technical goals do not guarantee lower fees, wider adoption or a higher $ETH price. Any market effect would depend on a stable launch and measured results after activation. Until then, Glamsterdam remains a major protocol project with an unproven market impact.

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